Artist Simone Leigh Embodies Self-Determination in the Historic ‘Sovereignty’ at the Venice Biennale

Background: “Façade” (2022), thatch, steel, and wood, dimensions variable. Foreground: “Satellite” (2022), bronze, 24 feet × 10 feet × 7 feet 7 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Matthew Marks Gallery, by Timothy Schenck, © Simone Leigh

“To be sovereign is to not be subject to another’s authority, another’s desires, or another’s gaze but rather to be the author of one’s own history.” This conviction founds Simone Leigh: Sovereignty, the artist’s new body of work created for the U.S. Pavilion of the 2022 Venice Biennale. Leigh is the first Black woman to be awarded the prestigious commission.

Comprised of towering bronze works and ceramics, the exhibition continues Leigh’s questions about self-determination, historical erasure, and Black femme subjectivity. She explores both interiority and what it means for Black women, who she’s repeatedly described as her primary audience, to move through the world.

While largely sculptural, Sovereignty opens with Leigh’s reinterpretation of the pavilion’s Palladian-style facade. A thatched roof and wooden columns cloak the stately architecture in reference to the 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition, which celebrated French dominance and extracted and exoticized objects, images, and materials of African cultures. The Jamaican woman hunched over a mirrored pool in “Last Garment,” a depiction Leigh originally discovered on a vintage postcard, similarly rebukes colonialism and the negative stereotypes it perpetuates.

 

“Last Garment” (2022), bronze, 54 × 58 × 27 inches

Inside are additional figurative works, including the soaring, abstract bronze piece titled “Sentinel,” which has a wide, sloping head and echoes the squat “Satellite” at the exhibition’s entrance. Evoking the artistic traditions within Africa and of the diaspora, many of the pieces address questions and themes that recur in Leigh’s practice, although they extend her oeuvre, as well. As with her earlier works, cowrie shells make an appearance, emerging from a large, ceramic jug and resting atop a raffia dome in “Cupboard.” The standing bronze “Sharifa,” on the other hand, depicts Leigh’s friend, the writer Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, and is the artist’s first portrait.

“In order to tell the truth, you need to invent what might be missing from the archive, to collapse time, to concern yourself with issues of scale, to formally move things around in a way that reveals something more true than fact,” she says in a statement about Sovereignty, adding in her opening remarks that, “Black women and Black people in general across the diaspora … We often are getting information from someone who had a different intention than we have.”

In addition to Sovereignty, Leigh’s monumental bust “Brick House,” which was stationed at the High Line through May of 2021, is included in the Biennale’s international exhibition The Milk of Dreams, on view through November 27. “Brick House” also won a Golden Lion, the exhibition’s highest award.

 

“Cupboard” (2022), raffia, steel, and glazed stoneware, 135 1/2 × 124 × 124 inches

“Sphinx” (2022), glazed stoneware, 29 3/4 × 56 3/4 × 35 inches

Detail of “Sharifa” (2022), bronze, 111 1/2 × 40 3/4 × 40 1/2 inches

“Sentinel” (2022), bronze, 194 × 39 × 23 1/4 inches

“Martinique” (2022), glazed stoneware, 60 3/4 × 41 1/4 × 39 3/4 inches

“Jug” (2022), glazed stoneware, 62 1/2 × 40 3/4 × 45 3/4 inches

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Surreal Narratives Unfold in Natural Settings in Michelle Kingdom’s Enigmatic Embroideries

“Skies have a way of falling” (2022). All images © Michelle Kingdom, shared with permission

Immersed in dreamlike surroundings, figures interact with nature and participate in enigmatic rituals in embroideries by Michelle Kingdom (previously). The Los Angeles-based artist continues to explore what she describes as “psychological landscapes,” portraying a diverse range of figures in ambiguous activities and settings that are intricately composed from thread. Drawing on the rich traditions of needlework, she takes a more freeform approach to the medium in which stitching becomes a tool for sketching, honoring its history while subtly subverting convention.

Often gathered together, Kingdom’s subjects appear to be performing vital tasks or observing fascinating or momentous occurrences, yet their intentions are mysterious. Her compositions combine elements of nature, geometry, and allegory. In her statement she writes, “Memories, histories, and mythologies collide amid an undercurrent of political turbulence. Entwined, these influences explore power, relationships and self-perception.”

The artist is currently working toward a solo exhibition with bG Gallery in Santa Monica in early 2023. You can find more work and follow updates on her website and Instagram.

 

“After all, it was only make believe” (2021)

“Securely Fastened” (2021)

“True Blue” (2021)

“We grow accustomed to the dark” (2021)

“As if they stood under glass” (2021)

“Exchanging Heaven for Earth” (2021)

“No Respite” (2020)

“The Orbit of Paper Moons” (2021)

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May 2022 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists

Image © Paolo Pettigiani

Every month, Colossal shares a selection of opportunities for artists and designers, including open calls, grants, fellowships, and residencies. If you’d like to list an opportunity here, please get in touch at hello@colossal.art. You can also join our monthly Opportunities Newsletter.

 

Open Calls

The Latinx Project Open Call for Curatorial Proposals
NYU’s Latinx Project is looking for proposals for group exhibitions from U.S.-based curators. The winning project will receive an exhibition budget of $10,000, an honorarium of $5,000, a three-month exhibition, and curatorial support.
Deadline: May 5, 2022.

Creative Time Open Call
Creative Time is looking for proposals from U.S.-based artists at any stage of their career to create a public art project that addresses a critical social issue. The chosen recipient will be awarded $10,000 and support to realize the project in New York City.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. EST on May 17, 2022.

The 13th Epson International Pano Awards
Open internationally, the 13th annual Epson International Pano Awards celebrates all facets of panoramic photography. The competition will award more than $40,000 in prizes, including $14,000 in cash. There is an entry fee of $22 per submission.
Deadline: Midnight (UTC-11) on July 11, 2022.

Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize
Awarding $57,000 in cash and prizes, this annual international competition celebrates diversity and excellence in visual arts, supporting all static mediums. The top prize is $13,500, and there is a $40 entry fee.
Deadline: Midnight PST on July 17, 2022.

8th National Juried Exhibition at the Oxford Arts Alliance
Now in its 8th year, the National Juried Exhibition at the Oxford Arts Alliance is hosting an open call for an October 2022 show. There’s a $30 entry fee and a top prize of $500.
Deadline: August 19, 2022.

The Bennett Prize for Women Figurative Painters
U.S.-based painters are invited to apply for the third iteration of The Bennett Prize, which awards $50,000 to one artist with a runner-up receiving $10,000. The entry fee is $40.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. MST on October 7, 2022.

 

Grants

Getty Images Grants
Getty Images recently announced four new editorial grants worth a total of $85,000. The four programs are designed to support photojournalists and organizations, with an emphasis on work that addresses some of the most urgent issues today.
Deadlines: From April 15 to May 15.

Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant 2022
This annual Creative Capital initiative awards arts writers grants between $15,000 and $50,000 to create articles, books, and short-form writing.
Deadline: May 18, 2022.

The Anonymous Was A Woman Environmental Art Grants
Open to women-identifying artists based in the U.S., this grant awards up to $20,000 for environmental art projects. Proposals should focus on the impact of the project and must have a public engagement component.
Deadline: 5 p.m. ET on June 14, 2022.

Innovate Grants
Innovate Grant awards two $550 grants each quarter to one visual artist and one photographer. The initiative is open internationally.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PST on June 16, 2022.

Illuminations Grant for Black Trans Women Visual Artists
This $10,000 grant recognizes an existing body of work by a Black trans woman. It will also provide additional support for continuing their work.
Deadline: June 30, 2022.

$500,000 Creative Capital x Skoll Foundation Fund
Kickstarter, Creative Capital, and Skoll Foundation launched a $500,000 Creative Capital x Skoll Foundation Fund to support projects by Asian, Black, Indigenous, and Latinx creators. Awards are given out on an ongoing basis to creators in categories like Arts, Comics & Illustration, Design & Tech, Film, Food & Craft, Games, Music, and Publishing.
Deadline: Rolling.

Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund
Adobe’s Creative Residency Community Fund commissions visual artists to create company projects on a rolling basis. Awardees will receive between $500 and $5,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

 

Residencies & Fellowships

The Latinx Project Artist-In-Residence Program
NYU’s Latinx Project Artist-In-Residence Program offers artists an honorarium of up to $10,000, a $5,000 budget for developing a project with a curator the artist chooses, and support for developing public programming and press materials. The residency is open to U.S. artists and runs for 4 to 6 months of the academic year.
Deadline: May 5, 2022.

The Farm Margaret River Residency
Open to Australian residents working in all disciplines, The Farm Margaret River’s residency program is fully funded and focused on site-specific projects born out of the artist’s five- to eight-week stay.
Deadline: 5 p.m. AWST on May 6, 2022.

Art Immersion Residencies
Applications for university student scholarships and fellowships for creative professionals are open now. The Art Immersion residences are hosted across European cities and designed for collaboration.
Deadline: May 6, 2022.

Abrons Arts Center Visual Artist AIRspace Residency
New York City-based visual artists can apply for one of four residencies at Abrons Arts Center. Residents receive a $3,000 unrestricted stipend, a semi-private studio, and a group exhibition.
Deadline: May 8, 2022.

Lilstreet Art Center Artist-in-Residence
Lillstreet Art Center in Chicago offers one-year residencies to artists working in ceramics or metalsmithing and nine-month residencies to those in textiles arts, drawing, painting, printmaking, and book arts. Artists receive a monthly $400 stipend, and the application fee is $20.
Deadline: May 9, 2022.

Velvetpark LGBTQ+ Visual Artist Residency
Velvetpark’s Visual Arts Residency awards one LGBTQ+ artist with six months of workspace in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. There is a $25 application fee.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on May 13, 2022.

Young Artists Competition & Intensive
This three-day intensive is located at the Oak Spring Garden Foundation’s estate in Upperville, Virginia, and is open to artists aged 18 to 22 working in painting, drawing, and mixed media. Applicants should be interested in the intersection of art and technology.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.

Marble House Project Artist Residency
Open across disciplines, the Marble House Project residency incorporated small-scale food production and conservation into artistic practice. Approximately 60 international residents participate in a two- or three-week each year at the Dorset, Vermont location. There is an application fee of $35.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.

Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) Residency
Scheduled to run in the winter of 2023, the VCCA residency is open internationally to visual artists, writers, and composers. There are several opportunities for fully-funded fellowships, and the application fee is $30.
Deadline: May 15, 2022.

Silver Art Projects Residency
Each year, this residency establishes an artist cohort and offers up to 10 months of studio space in New York City. Artists also receive a $1,200 stipend and mentorship.
Deadline: May 22, 2022.

ACE Artist in Residence Program
Open to U.S. artists across disciplines, this residency awards a $1,000 stipend and seven days in the mountains of Alta, Utah. The application fee is $10.
Deadline: June 15, 2022.

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Loose Threads Dangle in Bright, Bold Gradients in HOTTEA’s Kaleidoscopic Installations

“John Candy,” Houston. All images © HOTTEA, shared with permission

Suspended from gallery ceilings or strung across an open courtyard, innumerable lengths of yarn comprise the chromatic installations by artist Eric Rieger, aka HOTTEA (previously). He arranges the soft textiles in concentric circles or wide gradients that stretch from wall to wall, creating vibrant fields of color that shift in composition depending on the perspective. Most reflect the artist’s memories or experiences, and in recent years, he’s installed site-specific pieces in cities like Minneapolis, Houston, and Miami.

The tri-colored “Strangers” is HOTTEA’s largest outdoor work to date and was designed for Breve Festival in Belo Horizonte. Drawing on his encounters in the Brazilian city, the massive, uplifting work measures 100 feet long and 30 feet wide, with the individual yarns extending 13 feet. “The word ‘stranger’ often times has a negative connotation,” he shares on Instagram. “I liked the idea of referring to a stranger as a positive thing.”

Currently, HOTTEA is working on several installations for locations in Los Angeles, New York City, and Far Rockaway, New York. He’s also organizing a flash fashion show and collaborative project to create temporary pieces throughout his community in the Twin Cities.

 

“Algebra,” SCOPE, Miami

“John Candy,” Houston

Detail of “Haus,” Minneapolis

“Haus,” Minneapolis

“Strangers,” Belo Horizonte, Brazil

“Serape,” Minneapolis

Detail of “Serape,” Minneapolis

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Patchwork Coats with Frayed Fur Add Shaggy Texture to Barbara Franc’s Dog Sculptures

Left: “Scottish Deerhound,” 66 x 80 x 20 centimeters. Right: “The Haberdasher’s Dog,” 55 x 78 x 24 centimeters All images © Barbara Franc, shared with permission

Alongside an eccentric metallic menagerie, artist Barbara Franc stitches shaggy hounds with frayed fur and coats layered with assorted patches of prints. The fabric creatures are part of Franc’s collection of animals constructed with repurposed materials that range from buttons and vintage tapestries to windshield wipers and cutlery. To create these soft sculptures, she wraps scraps of worn trousers, curtains, and scarves around a padded, wire armature, defining a muscular hind leg with tweed or a stomach with an embroidered fairytale scene. The tattered edges mimic a tousled tail and the fringe sticking up from an ear, adding lifelike texture to the canines.

If you’re near Towersey, Oxfordshire, this August, Franc is offering a five-day workshop on crafting the textile forms at The Phoenix Studio. The West London-based artist will also have pieces this week at the Affordable Art Fair in Hampstead Heath and in June at Westbury Arts. You can find more of her upcycled characters on her site and Instagram.

 

Detail of “The Haberdasher’s Dog,” 55 x 78 x 24 centimeters

“The Haberdasher’s Dog,” 55 x 78 x 24 centimeters

“Entre le Chien et le Loup,” or “Twilight Hound,” 58 x 67 x 21 centimeters

“Shaggy Dog Tale”

Detail of “Shaggy Dog Tale”

“Entre le Chien et le Loup,” or “Twilight Hound,” 58 x 67 x 21 centimeters

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RISD Continuing Education Returns to In-Person Classes This Summer and Expands Its Online Offerings

“Untitled,” oil on wood, by RISD CE online student Dina Doyle

This summer, Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education is thrilled to resume in-person instruction on RISD’s campus for adults, teens, and middle school students. You can also enjoy the flexibility and convenience of learning online from wherever you are. All in-person programs will follow the RISD COVID Plan as it evolves.

RISD CE adult online courses offer students a wide range of classes for all skill levels and can be taken at any time of day or night. Our Certificate Programs are designed for adults looking to accelerate their creative lives and work, and subjects include Animation, Graphic Design, Interactive Design, Interior Design, Jewelry Making and Design, Natural Science Illustration, Painting Studies, Photography, and Product Development and Manufacturing.

Whether online year-round or in-person during the summer, our courses for youth ages 6 to 17 allow students to grow creatively as they develop and refine their abilities. Led by outstanding visual artists, designers, and educators, these programs journey into the artistic process and emphasize thinking, designing, communicating, and creating.

RISD’s Advanced Program Online is a year-round program established for high school students interested in pursuing art and design in college. This online intensive offers a certificate program for changemakers who want to develop their art practice, learn new ways to collaborate, and create a future they’re excited about. Summer Session I runs from June 21 to July 17, and Summer Session II runs from July 19 to August 14.

The Summer term starts June 21, 2022. Many online courses fill quickly, so register today!

To browse in-person and online courses at Rhode Island School of Design Continuing Education, visit cereg.risd.edu.

To register for RISD’s Advanced Program Online year-round intensive, visit cereg.risd.edu.

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Composed Photographic Works by Kylli Sparre Consider Restriction and Movement

“Sound of Deniance.” All images © Kylli Sparre, shared with permission

A sense of confinement pervades Kylli Sparre’s most recent photographic works, which center on figures trapped in clear vessels, encircled by narrow pools, or enclosed in empty concrete rooms. These surreal, claustrophobic images depart from Sparre’s otherwise energetic shots that tend to position women and young girls in motion, whether leaping in the air or sprinting through a house trailed by a swath of white fabric. The Tallinn, Estonia-based fine art photographer (previously) tells Colossal that the recurring theme of physically constraining her subjects was unintentional and likely informed by the limitations of the last few years.

In her practice, Sparre continues to explore the possibilities of the medium through digital manipulation, collage, exposure time, and movements that reflect her background in ballet. You can find more of her conceptual photos on her site and Instagram.

 

“Family Portrait”

“Advantages”

“Approach”

“Inhale”

“Moment of Soothe”

“Moving Forward”

“Revival”

“The Calling”

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